


Chippewa Falls

by spikessweetgirl75



Category: Titanic (1997)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27385528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikessweetgirl75/pseuds/spikessweetgirl75
Summary: Story is dedicated to Datia who gave me the prompt. Rose ends up adopting the child that Cal had rescued. Jack, Tommy, and Fabrizio survive, but they're separated. What happens when five lives find each other again in the town of Chippewa Falls?
Relationships: Jack Dawson/Rose DeWitt Bukater
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

The Carpathia was on its way back to America, carrying the survivors of the greatest maritime disaster of the century. Rose Dewitt Bukater sat on one of the benches in steerage, hidden beneath a blanket. She was too shell shocked to process anything really. Everything that had happened to her in the past forty-eight hours seemed like a blur. The iceberg. The flooding ship. Jack making her promise to go on. Discovering him dead and forcing herself to let go in order to keep the promise. It was all too much for her tired mind to bear. Never before had she suffered so much loss in so short amount of time, with the loss of Jack being the worse. All she wanted to do was find a quiet room and just cry it out.

"None of your people are down here, sir," a crew member was heard from behind her. She turned around and gasped in outrage to see Caledon Hockley, making his way down to steerage, obviously looking for her. Even now, he refused to leave her in peace. It wasn't fair! Why was it that he had survived and her Jack was dead? It wasn't right!

"I am down here to see about the child that I had rescued. I want to make sure that the child has proper accommodations," Cal was heard explaining, his voice full of first-class disdain.

So that was how the bastard survived! He had used a child! Somehow, this did not surprise her. It would be just like Cal to do such a thing! Well, at least his selfishness had benefited an innocent. That was something at least.

"I'd like to see her, please," Cal demanded, his voice booking no argument.

"Right this way sir," The crew member nodded, beckoning for Cal to follow.

Rose couldn't help herself. She was curious. Who was this child and what did Cal plan to do? Was he going to adopt the girl? Could he look past his own selfish ideals to do so? Or would he leave the poor child an orphan? She just had to find out. Making sure to keep the blanket wrapped around her body and head, and to stay out of sight, Rose followed. This will hopefully be her last time having to even think about what Cal was up to.

She followed the two men down a flight of stairs and into a room full of beds, toys, and children. She fell back into the shadows of the room and watched as they approach a small girl with red hair who was sitting on a bed, holding a doll with tears in her eyes.

"What is her name?" Cal asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Where are her parents?"

"Her name is Lily Byrne. I'm afraid that her parents didn't survive. They have yet to claim her. Are you sure that you are not the girl's father, sir?"

Cal snorted and shook his head. "I may have claimed to be her father, but I am not. You must understand, sir. I was desperate. I needed to save the child and make sure she was safe. I felt a responsibility to her."

Rose wanted to choke as he said those words. That was such bullshit! The only person Cal felt responsible for was himself! The girl was just a means for his own survival. He was probably just checking up on her to make himself look good.

"What will happen to her now if no one claims her?"

"She will have to go to an orphanage. Be a ward of the state until someone does adopt her. It'll be a life in group homes for this one."

"Hmm...just as well then. Maybe when she gets old enough, she can work for me. Be sure to give her my name and address. It'll be the least I can do," Hockley snorted, before bidding the crew member good day and leaving to return to the first-class deck.

Feeling disgusted, Rose stepped out of the shadows, shaking her head. Caledon Hockley really was an unimaginable bastard! Instead of taking the girl home and raising her, knowing that she was an orphan, he just made arrangements for the poor thing to work in his mill once she was old enough to do so. Rose had seen his mills. She wouldn't wish such a place on her worse enemy! She couldn't let that be this child's fate! She had to do something to make sure that the girl had a better future! That she had more than a group home to go to! Yes, she was homeless at the moment. She had no idea what her next move was going to be, but surely she would think of something.

"Excuse me, sir," Rose approached the crew member, pulling the blanket off her head to reveal her own red curls.

"Miss?" The crew member frowned. He had not seen Rose enter, so he was a bit disconcerted to find her there. "What may I do for you, Miss?"

"Yes, that there is my...sister Lily. Our parents had perished and I believe that I am responsible for her now. May she come with me?"

"This girl is your sister?" The crew member's glare was skeptical. Somehow, he wasn't believing this strange girl that had just come out of nowhere.

"Yes. Can't you see the resemblance? We both have red hair and green eyes, surely you can tell that we related," Rose continued, willing the man to believe her.

"You don't sound Irish."

Rose wanted to scream. She found it funny that dark-haired Cal's lie could be believed, while she was getting skeptical looks! "I've been in America for a while. I had gone back to Ireland to retrieve my family and now, my baby sister is all I have left and you are refusing me? How dare you, sir," Rose sniffed, willing tears to appear in her eyes. "My parents are gone and Lily is all I have left."

Feeling bad, the man sighed and stepped aside. He had not meant to make the girl cry and both girls had been through a lot and deserved a happy reunion, now that their parents were obviously gone. "Very well, Miss. I did not mean to stand in the way. You may collect your sister. May I also point you to the second class sitting area. There you will find passengers willing to share their rooms and some funds to help you get back on your feet and some warm clothes for you both."

"Thank you, sir. That is very appreciated," Rose nodded, feeling relieved that she now had some idea of where to go for a little bit of help.

"Good day to you Lily and..."

"Rose."

"Rose. Hmm, interesting," the man chuckled before leaving the room.

Now alone with the girl, Rose knelt down to the girl's level so that they could talk face to face. "Hello, Lily. My name is Rose."

"Where are my mama and papa?" Lily sniffed, hugging the doll tighter, tired of all these strangers. First, the strange man that had swept her up into his arms, claiming to be her papa so he could get on a boat, then all the people on the ship as the man abandoned her, and now this woman that she had never seen before in her life! She didn't want any of these people! She just wanted her mama and papa! Why couldn't anyone understand that?

Rose's heart broke for the girl as she saw the fear and longing in her eyes. For such a little girl, she was suffering too much loss at such a young age. Rose silently swore to the girl that the losses were about to stop. She was going to make sure of it. "I'm sorry sweetie. Your mama and papa have gone to heaven. They didn't want to go, but they had no choice. Not to fear, they sent me to take care of you once we get to America."

"Papa said the streets are made of gold in America," The girl sniffled, sticking her thumb in her mouth.

"Well, not quite. But I am sure we can make a good life there, me and you."

"But I want mama and papa!" The girl known as Lily began to cry.

Rose sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around the child, her own heart breaking. It broke not only for little Lily but for herself as well. The loss of Jack was eating away at her slowly. At times, she felt unable to breathe even. If only she hadn't promised Jack that she'd go on. If only he hadn't died. But if onlys weren't going to help her, nor the little girl.

"It will be okay, Lily. You'll see. I'll take care of the both of us, I promise. Together, we'll make it."

A couple of days later, as Rose stood on the deck holding little Lily's hand, she watched the statue of liberty come into view. It was indeed a symbol of freedom. Her freedom. She was free of her mother and of Cal. Now she had a new life and in honor of Jack, she was going to make it count.

"Name Miss?" The officer asked, holding a notepad and a pad.

Rose paused. The man wanted her name. She couldn't use Dewitt Bukater. That was for sure. Her mother and Cal would find her and her plans for Lily and herself would be ruined! They'd force her back into first-class life and little Lily would again be abandoned to live her life in a group home with no one to love her. What could she do? What would Jack do? Jack….

Rose looked at the officer, her green eyes bright and clear. "Dawson. Rose and Lily Dawson."

The officer simply nodded and scribbled down the names before walking off, leaving Rose to lift her new daughter up into her arms as she continued to watch the statue of liberty.

"What are we going to do now?" Lily asked, feeling uncertain about the future now that her parents were gone.

Rose smiled as she hugged the child close. "We are going to make it count."


	2. Chapter 2

Tommy Ryan and Fabrizio DeRossi stood in line, waiting to disembark. They were both immigrants, on their way to Ellis Island, but not only that, but they were survivors as well. They had boarded the Titanic, expecting a great trip on the luxury ocean liner as they headed for a new life in America. Instead, they were met with loss and disaster. No longer were dreams of a better life taking up their minds. Now it was just a matter of survival and grief. All they could think about were the people they had lost. For Tommy, friends he had bonded with in steerage. Shared dreams of making something of himself. Onboard that ship, he had friends and family. Now, all he had left was Fabrizio. Thankfully, the Italian knew English, so there was no language barrier. For Fabrizio, he had lost more than Tommy. He had lost his best friend and travel companion, Jack. A friendly, kind, mischievous artist that had won their tickets to America in a game of poker. Neither he nor Tommy knew what had become of Jack. The last time they had seen their friend was when Jack had been trying to get Rose, a first-class girl he had grown smitten with, onto a boat. They both doubted that the artist had survived. The other loss was Helga. She had been a Norwegian passenger that Fabrizio had fallen in love with. She couldn't speak English, nor Italian and he didn't know her language, but they had managed. The last time he had seen her was below decks, when she had refused to leave her family and join him in their race for survival. He doubted very much that she had survived. Now all he had left was Tommy Ryan, the friendly Irishman that had befriended both himself and Jack and had been at his side since the ship had begun to sink.

"Did you check the list for Jack, mate?" Tommy asked, just realizing that he hadn't bothered to check the list of survivors himself.

Fabrizio groaned and shook his head. Everything had been chaos and he hadn't really had time to check either. He doubted that Jack had survived though. He would have found them by now, wouldn't he? "Jack is gone. He would have looked for us if he had lived."

"I'm sorry, mate. Boy-o was a good man and talented. He could draw anything. "So, what do you plan to do once we're done here? I reckon I'll find a job somewhere. Maybe travel. Jack sure did make it sound like fun. Where was he from again?"

"Wisconsin. A Chippewa Falls. I think he was going to go back there."

"I wonder if boy-o had any family there."

Fabrizio shrugged, feeling sad talking about the man who had been his best friend ever since he had left home to head to America. Jack had been his constant companion. It was so weird to finally be in America, but without Jack, especially when it was Jack who had got him here. "I don't know. He never talked about any family. I just know he was from Chippewa Falls Wisconsin."

"Well, what do you say about us heading there to see once we're finished here? At least tell whatever friends he had that he won't be coming back. Boy-o deserves to be remembered by that town, don't you think?"

"What if they no believe us?"

"I have a feeling that they will. There's no reason why they wouldn't," Tommy sighed, suddenly craving a cigarette. It had indeed been a stressful couple of days. He had a feeling it wasn't over yet. Not by any means, but at least he wasn't alone.

Fabrizio sighed as he looked off into the horizon. Ever since he could remember, he had dreamed of coming to America and becoming a millionaire. He had always dreamed of making something of himself and making his mama proud. He had thought that Jack would be by his side through it all, but his friend was gone, but he was still here, thanks to said friend. Perhaps going to his friend's hometown would be an honor to him. It wasn't much...but it was something.

"Alright. We go to Wisconsin. Honor Jack," Fabrizio nodded, feeling good about the decision. With a smile, he looked up at the sky and wondered if Jack was looking down at him, happy with his plans. He sure hoped so.

…..

Jack Dawson squinted his eyes against the sunlight as he stepped out of the Carpathia infirmary. He had been bed-bound for the past four days and finally, he was allowed to leave. He had no idea where he was going to go, but that wasn't his first order of business. The first thing he wanted to do was find Rose. He was sure that she had survived. After all, why else would she have let him go?

He remembered letting his eyes drift close and waking up as the freezing water enveloped him. He was barely able to swim back up to the surface, just to find Rose gone. He had felt relief, thinking that a boat had come back for her. Now the only problem was finding help for himself. He found the now abandoned door that Rose had been on and lifted himself onto the wooden surface and felt relief to see another boat drifting among the frozen corpses. He waved and flailed about, shouting for help as much as he could. Finally, the crew member heard him and took him on board the lifeboat and wrapped him in blankets, hoping to warm him up, which didn't work. Once they were boarded onto the Carpathia, Jack was taken directly to the infirmary, where he was diagnosed with a serious case of hypothermia. The doctor ordered him to stay inside and in bed while the nurses kept him covered in blankets and filled with hot soup and coffee. Now that it was time to disembark, Jack was allowed to leave. But first, he needed to find the list of survivors so he can find and be reunited with his Rose at last.

"Sir," An officer approached him, carrying a duffel bag. "The passengers of the Carpathia have arranged some care packages for the survivors of the Titanic sinking. Here are some clothes and some money for you, sir. To help you get back on your feet. There is also a voucher for the Waldorf Astoria hotel. They will be taking in Survivors for the next two weeks. You do have our condolences and we wish you luck."

"Thank you," Jack accepted the duffel bag, grateful for all that was being done for him. "Um….do you know where I can find a list of survivors? I'm looking for someone. I'm pretty sure she's on the ship somewhere." Hopefully not with Cal and her mother. If that was so, he'll never see Rose again most likely.

"Here you go, sir. I have a list right here," The officer handed him the clipboard that he had with him and stood aside as Jack scanned the list.

Jack scanned the list from top to bottom, trying to keep his hopes up. There was no Rose Dewitt Bukater that he could see, but that was good. That meant that she was not with her mother and Cal. He continued to scan, his high hopes beginning to sink. His hopes vanished as he reached the bottom of the list. He had felt a sliver of hope when he saw Rose Dawson, but there was a Lily Dawson with that name. Rose wouldn't be with a child. It had to be someone else, which meant...she hadn't made it after all. She had broken her promise.

"Did you find who you were looking for, sir?" The officer asked as a dejected Jack gave him back the clipboard.

"No. Unfortunately, I didn't. She's gone. My Rose is gone."

"You have my condolences, sir. I do wish you the best. We will be disembarking soon."

Jack just nodded and walked away, no longer in a .good mood. Rose was gone and so were Tommy and Fabrizio. Once again, he was alone in the world with only one place to go. Back home to Chippewa Falls. There he could heal. He could mourn. He could start over. Maybe even someday, he'll feel like living again. But for now, he just wanted to take a break from life. If he couldn't be with Rose...well, he didn't want to live at all.


	3. Chapter 3

The rain was nonstop as the Titanic survivors disembarked the Carpathia, ready to resume their lives that were now forever changed. Rose held Lily close as she too found herself amongst the crowd of steerage passengers, making their way to what could be considered dry land, despite the rain.

"Miss," a crewmember stopped her, handing her a bag and an envelope. "Here are some clothes donated by the Carpathia passengers and a voucher for a week at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel."

Rose winced at the name of the hotel. The name brought up memories of JJ Astor. She wondered what had happened to JJ and Madeline. Something told her that JJ had not survived, which meant that Madeline was now not only pregnant but widowed as well. She felt awful for the woman and in a way could relate. She may not have been married to Jack, but she had loved him dearly and Lily may not be hers by blood, but she was still in Rose's care and she felt a responsibility towards her.

"Where are we going to go now?" Little Lily asked, looking at the new woman in her life with big scared eyes. She still wanted her mommy and daddy back, but somehow knew that they were never going to come for her. Somehow, this strange lady was her new mommy now and she had to trust that she knew what she was doing.

Rose frowned, staring at the voucher in her hand. She was reluctant to go to the Waldorf-Astoria. Surely her mother and Cal would be there and she hoped never to set eyes on them again for as long as she lived...or at least not anytime soon. She wanted to be steady in her new life before even allowing her mother to know of her survival. If she stayed at the same hotel where they most likely were, the greater the chance of discovery. But what else could she do? She had nowhere else to go. She had never been on her own to New York before and had no idea where else they could stay! Besides, the Waldorf was offering a free room. Maybe if she had been on her own, she could avoid staying anywhere near her old life...but she wasn't on her own. She had Lily and the child was depending on her to find somewhere safe, warm, and dry.

"I think we have no choice but to go to the Waldorf-Astoria. Not to worry. I've been there before. We'll be nice, warm, and dry there. I promise," Rose reassured the little girl, hugging her close.

Lily didn't say anything else. She just sucked on her thumb as she rested her head against Rose's shoulder.

With her mind made up to stay at the Waldorf-Asteria, Rose made her way off the ship and was looking for someone to ask directions when she was suddenly spotted.

"Rose?! Rose Dewitt Bukater, god almighty, is that you darlin'?!"

Rose's heart sank as she spotted Molly Brown waving at her as she headed in her direction. Well, there went her quiet escape from her former life, or so it seemed. She put on a fake smile and tightened her hold on little Lily, daring Molly to question her custody of the girl.

"Hello, Molly."

Molly rushed up and was about to pull Rose into a crushing hug when she noticed that Rose wasn't alone. "And you have a child!"

"Yes. This is Lily. We both have survived the Titanic and I've decided to adopt her. "

"I see," Molly stared, not knowing what to think of the situation. She had not been expecting to see Rose again, much less Rose with a child. "Your mother thinks you're dead, Darlin. So does that fiancee of yours."

"Ex-fiancee. I have no intention of marrying Caledon Hockley. As for my mother...I do think that it's best that she continues to believe me dead, Molly."

"Oh Rose, you can't mean that. She's your mother!"

"No, she's my jailer. She's had me locked in that gilded cage for far too long, but now I'm freed to be who I want to be and do whatever I want to do. No more being forced to play the well brought up fiancee. I'm embarking on a new life, Molly. One that I want. Please don't take that away from me."

"Rose, if you just talk to Ruth….I'm sure that she'd understand..."

"She won't and you know she won't! Ruth Dewitt Bukater could care less about what I want. It's all about her remaining in the lap of luxury. If I tell her that I'm alive...she'll force me to marry Cal. She'll force me to live by her rules and I can't do that Molly. Not anymore. I'd die if I did. You know I would..."

Molly sighed and nodded her head in reluctant acceptance. She knew that Rose was right, even though she still worried about Ruth, but Rose was no longer a child and she had her own life to live. She wouldn't be able to live that life under Ruth's rule. "Alright. Fine, I won't tell your mother about your survival. But Darlin, what are you planning to do? Surely you're not planning to stay out here on the streets with the child?"

"Of course not. We were just heading to the Waldorf-Astoria to take advantage of this voucher. We really have nowhere else to go."

Molly shook her head, knowing that going to the Waldorf-Astoria would be a bad idea if Rose planned to remain dead to her mother. Ruth and Cal were heading there and it'd be next to impossible for Rose "That's not a good idea, Darlin. Your mother and Cal are heading there and they'll be sure to spot you."

"What else can I do, Molly? There's nowhere else that I can go. I can't afford a hotel or a room and I really can't keep Lily out here on the street and in this rain. We need somewhere to go!"

"Now, don't you worry about a thing, Rose. I'm gonna help you and I won't take no for an answer, so don't bother objecting. There's a hotel not too far from here that is a lot nicer than the Waldorf. I'll set you up there for three weeks instead of just the measly two weeks that the Waldorf is offering. That way, you and the girl can have a safe, warm, place to stay until you decide what to do and you'll remain hidden from that mother and ex-fiancee of yours."

Rose's eyes widened in disbelief at the offer. Was Molly serious? Was she really going to help her out so generously? Surely she must want something in return! No one was this kind-hearted! "Molly, I don't know what to say...what can I do to repay you?"

"You don't need to be worrying about that, now Darlin. Just take care of yourself and that little one there and make something of your life. That's all that I ask."

"But this is so much...it's too much..."

"It's not enough. Not when there's a child involved. Just looking at the little one there, she's depending on you, Rose. You're all she has now and I want to do all I can to help you care for the little princess."

"Molly, I...I don't know what to say. Thank you."

Molly just smiled and placed a gentle hand against the child's cheek. "You're very welcome, Darlin. Now come. Let's get this angel out of the rain and you both settled."

Rose gave one last glance at the towering Carpathia that had carried them to safety. How she wished that Jack was coming with them, that he wasn't laying at the bottom of the frozen Atlantic. But he was gone and she had a child to raise and a promise to keep. She could only hope that he was proud of her, wherever he was.


	4. Chapter 4

Fabrizio frowned as the train rolled to a stop with a shuddering groan. He glanced out the window and fought back the nervous butterflies battling it out in the pit of his stomach as he saw the Chippewa Falls train station, already crowded with passengers coming and going to and from their destinations. Not for the first time, he wondered if this was a good idea after all. He and Tommy were not only strangers to what Jack had described as a small farming village, but they were foreigners who only knew one person from the town, that person being dead.

"Chippewa Falls!" The train conductor announced a task he did at every stop.

"We're here, mate! Boy-o's hometown," Tommy sighed, his voice grim and heavy with a weariness that days on a train had brought on. "This is where we finally get off, yeah?"

Fabrizio silently nodded, not knowing what else he could say right now. His chest felt heavy with some kind of emotion, probably regret. Jack should be with him right now, chatting his ear off about life as a boy here in this small town, his voice full of excitement at showing his friend where he grew up and how similar their lives had probably been, despite living on different sides of the world.

The two men only had a duffel bag each to their name, provided to them by the white star line since everything they owned had gone down with the great ship. Despite the death of their friends, the world still turned.

"Where to next?" Tommy frowned, not sure what to do now that they had reached their destination. "We find a bridge to sleep under?"

Fabrizio shrugged and began to walk, not knowing where he was going. He wished that he knew of Jack's childhood home. He didn't even know if the house still existed. Jack said there was a fire, but he never said how bad. Just that his parents had died and that he had left town soon after, not able to stand the town's pity.

"I say we try to find a room for rent. This town must have one, yeah? Lord knows we had plenty in Dublin," Tommy kept talking, not really caring if his companion was listening or not. Talking helped his already frayed nerves. Tommy always believed that as long as he had a voice, everything would work out.

As they walked, both men kept their eyes open, scanning for any signs that advertised a room for rent. It was another block when they finally came across one. A big victorian house with a sign in the yard titled: Tilson's Boarding House. Tommy was the first to spot it and grabbed Fabrizio's arm and nodded at the place.

"I think we've found what we're looking for, mate."

Fabrizio frowned at the house, not really sure about it. "How we pay?"

"I guess we'll just have to get us a job somewhere. Didn't Jack say this was a farming town? We can be farmhands or something."

"I wonder if they know Jack," Fabrizio frowned, eyeing the building curiously. Would the people inside be the first to know of Jack's fate? Would they mourn him? Would they blame the strangers that bore the news? Would they even remember Jack at all?

"We'll find out. Come on, mate. Let's get us a room and worry about the rest of it later," Tommy patted his shoulder before walking through the opened gate and up the porch steps. Fabrizio silently followed Tommy inside and up to a counter, where an elderly lady stood, writing in a notebook.

Tommy cleared his throat, gaining the woman's attention.

The woman smiled and set down her pen. "Welcome dear friends. You look to be new to our town. May I be of service to you?"

"My mate and I are new to town and are in need of a room and perhaps a job," Tommy was the one to speak, more fluent in English than Fabrizio, who just stood to the side, and allowed the Irishman to take charge, something he used to do with Jack, who Tommy reminded him of. Like Jack, Tommy seemed to know his way around, even though he had never been to this town...this country before. He just seemed to know what to do.

The woman arched her brow at Tommy's accent, her voice was full of curiosity. "You're an Irishman!"

Tommy chuckled. "Yes and my friend here is Italian. We're new to this country and are looking for a place to settle. We knew someone from here and thought this town would be a nice place to stay for a bit."

"Oh. Well, welcome to Chippewa Falls! We're not a terribly big city like say New York, but we're a nice size. Hopefully, you'll find what you're looking for here. This is my boarding house and we do have a room available that sleeps two. It's five dollars a month. You are expected to keep your room tidy and there are to be no members of the opposite sex inside the room. That is if you're interested in making my little place here your home."

"What do you say, Fabri? I like it here."

Fabrizio just nodded. Really, he didn't see that there was a choice.

"We'll take it, ma'am. Um...do you know where we may find some work around here?"

"There is the brewery and the grocers. You may also find some work with some of the farmers. Someone is always needing a farmhand."

"That would be great, we'll check them out," Tommy grinned, turning to Fabrizio. "Isn't that good, mate? Only a few weeks in America and we'll be working boys."

Fabrizio made himself smile, wishing that he could share Tommy's good mood, but all he could think about that it should be Jack here with them, introducing them to the people here and showing them around. Right now, they were depending on the kindness of strangers instead of the kindness of a good friend that was gone all too soon.

"I'll have my son compile a list of farmers looking for help if you like. Save you the trouble of wandering around town looking for help wanted signs."

"That's rather kind of you, ma'am. Thank you," Tommy nodded, happy for the help.

"Let me show you, fine young men, to the room and let you get settled. The list should be ready for you in the morning. Just stop back here at my desk and we'll have it ready for you."

Silently, the boys followed the owner of the boarding house up two flights of stairs to the first door on the right. She opened the door to reveal a medium-sized room with two twin beds, two chests of drawers, a desk, and a window that looked out onto the sidewalk outside.

"It's not much, I'm afraid," the woman, Mrs. Tilson sounded apologetic.

"It's perfect for us," Tommy smiled, dropping his duffel bag on the bed closest to the window.

Mrs. Tilson smiled kindly and gave a small nod. "Well, I'll leave you to it then. There is a small diner across the street for your meals. Tell them you're boarding here and you'll most likely get a discount. Don't forget to stop by my desk tomorrow for that list of farms."

"Thank you, Ma'am. My friend and I will be no trouble, I promise you."

Mrs. Tilson just smiled and quietly left the room, leaving Tommy and Fabrizio to themselves.

"That was a nice lady, mate. She seemed charmed by the accent, don't you think?"

Fabrizio shrugged. "This small town. I doubt they have many Irishmen and Italians here."

"I suppose you're right," Tommy sighed, his eyes not leaving his friend for a minute. Ever since they had disembarked the Carpathia, Fabrizio's mood had been grim and he knew why. When you have a travel companion for as long as Fabrizio and Jack were together...they were probably as good as brothers. Tommy didn't know Jack that well, but he missed the artist as well. His absence was a glaring hole in this start of a new life. He could only imagine the ache that Fabrizio felt. "I know you miss him. I do too."

"He should be here with us now. That was the plan when we won those tickets. Come to America. Come here and become a millionaire while Jack finally settled down."

"I'm sorry, mate."

"It's just...doesn't feel right to be here without Jack," Fabrizio collapsed onto his bed, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed, feeling the tears once again threaten to spill. Still, Fabrizio fought them, not wanting to seem weak in front of his new friend.

"He would want us to be here, though. He would want us to tell someone that he's passed...I just don't know who we would tell. It just...feels wrong. All of it does, I guess."

Fabrizio sighed and looked up from his hands, wishing that this heavy feeling of grief would somehow lift. That Jack would return and he could go back to being the hopeful young man he had once been just a month ago. "So what do we do now?"

"The only thing we can do I guess. We live. For ourselves...for him. We'll make Jack proud."

...

Jack Dawson rested his head against the window of the train compartment and watched the scenery go by as his train left New York City, leaving Titanic and all the news and speculation about the wreck behind.

After disembarking the Carpathia, Jack had decided not to take advantage of the hotel voucher, not wanting to risk running into Rose's mother and Caledon Hockley. In his weakened condition, the last thing he needed was a confrontation with those two. Besides, such opulence was just a reminder of Rose. Every time he thinks of her, which was all the time, there was a deep ache in his chest and all he wanted to do was cry, wondering what had happened. Why had she broken her promise? Why didn't she go on? It confused and saddened him. He was utterly heartbroken over her loss. He had truly loved Rose. He had never felt so strongly for any other girl and he doubt he ever would again. Rose was an one of a kind girl. There was no one else like her and there never would be, not for him.

He did find an inexpensive room, whose landlord allowed him to stay in exchange for the hotel voucher and he had found a job on the docks for a few weeks. He had hoped to heal and gather the motivation to lift out of his depression and move on with his life. Put Titanic and the people he had lost behind him, but that never happened. Each day seemed to grow worse with the heavy knowledge that he was now alone in the world. That the people who should be there wasn't. They were gone. Fabrizio. Tommy...Rose. Most of all, his beautiful wild Rose. She was forever beyond his reach now.

It was a week of a boring routine of work, home, then an evening of brooding when Jack realized that he couldn't carry on like this. He couldn't stay out here in a world of strangers, amongst people that didn't know or care about him. It had been different when his parents died when he just couldn't accept the love and care of the people around him. Now, after the loss of his friends and the woman he loved...now he couldn't take the coldness of strangers. He needed to go somewhere where people knew him, where people cared about him, whether he was family or not. He needed somewhere familiar. He needed to go home. Back to Chippewa Falls.

So he saved his money for a one-way train ticket, knowing that he would probably never return to New York City. That his days of wandering the world was most likely over. He didn't want to meet anyone new or experience some new adventure. Not without Rose. So he decided to just pick up his now underused portfolio and return to the place he had come from. Luckily the fire hadn't destroyed the house. It was probably still standing and if not, he'll find somewhere to stay. He always landed on his feet. Now was no different. The only difference was, this was going to be the last place he'll land. Back home where people knew him. Where he wasn't just some wandering street rat. Where he had a past...a legacy, maybe even some kind of future.

He was going home to Chippewa Falls, wanting to forget the harsh world outside. But as the train continued on away from the east coast, Jack knew one thing he'll never forget. He'll never forget Rose Dewitt Bukater. That fiery redhead will always own his heart. There was no denying that.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Covington, Kentucky** _

Why this small town in the state of Kentucky, Rose could not say. After the three week stay in the luxury hotel that Molly had set them up in, she felt it best that she and Lily go somewhere far from such opulence so they could get a real start in their new lives. Somewhere far away from New York and especially Philadelphia. Somewhere no one would ever expect to find them. This small town across from Cincinnati Ohio seemed to be as good of a place as any. No one from her former life had ever been here, so she had the freedom to move around and get used to life as a normal, everyday girl with a child.

"I'm hungry," Lily's pouted, tightly clinging to Rose's hand.

Glancing down at the little girl, Rose noted how weary the child seemed. It was no wonder, they just spent days riding coach on a train. This was their first time on solid ground since they had left New York. It would indeed be nice to eat some real food and not some of the train fare that they had been forced to endure.

"There must be a cafe or diner around here somewhere. We'll get something to eat and then find a place to stay," Rose reassured the little girl, again feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Not for the first time, she again wondered if she had done the right thing taking Lily with her. Her life was anything but stable right now. Maybe the child would have been better off in an orphanage. Then again, who was to say if the child would have been adopted? It could have been a life in a children's home instead of being raised and loved by someone who wanted only the best for her. Rose may not have much now, but she did have love to give and the potential to give the child a good life. Her life may not be steady at the moment, but it was a lot better than an orphanage, that was for sure.

Wordlessly, keeping Lily's small hand in her slightly bigger one, Rose began to walk, not for the first time wondering if this was what Jack would do. It had been a constant thought since she had left the Carpathia. What would Jack do? Her heart would ache at the thought, reminding her that Jack was no longer on the earth. That the world was missing his bright smile and optimism. That it was a darker world now that he was gone. Then she would remind herself of the promise he had her make and she forced herself to carry on by imagining what he would do and follow through with it. Jack would take advantage of Molly's kind offer of the three-week hotel stay, but not too much. When the three weeks were up, he would be on his way, which was what she did by packing up Lily after those three weeks and deciding to leave New York as soon as possible, which she did by buying a train ticket to nowhere. Now that they had reached nowhere, the question had to be asked again, what would Jack do if he was with them now?

"Can we go home first?"

Lily's question brought Rose out of her own thoughts and made her push back the gathering clouds of grief that threatened to overtake her each time she thought of the kind artist that had changed her life.

"Home?" Rose stared at Lily, trying to understand what the child meant by that.

"Papa used to say home was where you take off your shoes. I want to take off my shoes," Lily explained as if this was the simplest knowledge in the world.

"Hmm...I suppose you're right. Home is where we can take off our shoes. I suppose it would make sense to find that home first, right? There should be a room for rent around here somewhere," Rose bit her lip, her eyes scanning the streets for any sign of a hotel or boarding house. Anywhere that could give her and Lily shelter, at least for the night.

Relief filled Rose once her eyes finally fell upon a sign advertising a vacancy plopped in the middle of a lawn of a white Victorian house. The sign read: Room for Rent, enquire inside. That was perfect! One room was all that was needed for herself and Lily. Somewhere to take off their shoes until something better came along.

"Come along, Lily," Rose lifted the little girl up in her arms, hoping to make herself look more maternal to anyone who may wonder why a young woman has a child, but no husband. "Remember, call me mama, not Rose. That's who I am for you from now on, okay?"

The child simply nodded, not understanding any of this. She just knew that her old life with her real parents was apparently over and she only had this nice red-haired lady to take care of her. By all appearances, this lady was her new mama.

"Okay. Let's go home," Rose smiled, feeling an odd optimism that she hoped would pan out.

Rose stepped up onto the porch and ringed the bell, not wanting to just barge into the house without permission. It was a middle-aged woman with blonde hair that was pulled back into a bun and smiling blue eyes that answered the door.

"Yes, may I help you?" The woman questioned, eyeing Rose and Lily up and down. "Are you here about the vacancy?"

"Yes. My daughter Lily and I are new in town and we're in need of a place to stay and I noticed your sign in the yard there," Rose nodded to the sign as she adjusted her hold on Lily as the child seemed to grow a little heavier.

"Oh yes. We have a room with two twin beds, so it'd be perfect for the two of you. Would you like to see it?"

Rose simply nodded. "Yes, please. That would be wonderful."

Rose kept Lily in her arms as she followed the woman up one flight of stairs and to the far room on the right. The room was brightly lit with floral wallpaper, a desk on the far wall, and two twin beds sitting parallel to each other. A closet was positioned at the left side of the desk. It would do for a while. A week or two or maybe a month.

"How much are you asking for?" Rose asked.

"Four dollars down payment and two dollars a week after that. We have rules here. No men up here at all. All gentleman visitors are to be met in the sitting room, chaperoned. Even though, I have a feeling that won't be a problem. And keep your room clean. I am not your maid. I will not be cleaning up after you."

Rose took a deep breath. This was going to be her first real home out in the real world, away from high society, yet she felt just as restricted somehow, but it was a good temporary home for Lily. For a couple of months anyway. They could always move on at some later date. Right now, it was all about getting a steady start in this new life she had chosen for herself. She smiled at Lily, wanting her opinion.

"What do you think? Can this be home?"

Lily took one look at the room, smiled, and nodded her head.

"We'll take it," Rose smiled, sitting the little girl on her feet so she could open the small purse she carried for the money needed.

"Splendid! There is also a small cafe around the corner that our guests frequent for hot meals and a market place two streets down for grocery shopping. My name is Mrs. Tallington."

"I am Rose Dawson and this is my daughter Lily. My husband died in a terrible accident, so right now, Lily and I are looking to start anew somewhere away from all the sad memories. We're hoping that this place may be it," Rose felt bad for telling such a lie, but she felt like an explanation was owed. Besides, it wasn't a lie. Not really. She mourned for Jack as if he had really been her husband...like she really was his widow. After all, the Dawson name was his and she believed that he would have made it official if he could.

"I am so sorry for your loss. I do hope that you two can find healing and happiness here in Covington. Being right across from Cincinnati, we have the best of both worlds. Little town feel with metropolitan activities to enjoy."

"Hmm, I like that. I am sure that Lily and I will be very happy here," Rose made herself smile in agreement. Honestly, she doubted that any healing could be had from the loss of Jack. Right now, his absence felt like a huge gaping hole in her soul. She didn't even want to contemplate on what Lily must be going through, having lost her entire family.

"Well, I'll leave you two to settle in and get used to the place. Feel free to ask if you need anything such as fresh towels. Oh, which reminds me, the bathroom is right down the hall and it's shared with the rest of the house. there's a sign that you can hang on the doorknob letting others know that it's in use."

Rose simply nodded, handing over six dollars out of the money that she had found in Cal's coat pocket, right before they had disembarked the Carpathia. Rose had fought with her own conscious about using it but figured that the man owed her for all the pain he had put her through during their ill-advised engagement.

"Thank you very much," Rose smiled, relieved that so far, she was doing pretty good as a young, new mother on her own. Jack would be so proud of her.

"Enjoy your stay, ladies."

Rose closed the door as soon as they were alone and smiled at her new daughter who gave a tired yawn. "I guess we can take off our shoes, now. So what do you want to do next? We can go to that cafe or we can take a much needed, stationary nap?"

Lily rubbed her eyes, feeling more sleepy than hungry. Really, she preferred sleep. She got to see her momma and poppa again when she slept.

"I'm sleepy."

"So am I," Rose sighed, realizing that she was indeed exhausted from the long train ride and she was ready to lay her head down and dream...dream of Jack. Like Lily, it was the only way to see the man she loved again. "Come on. Let's lay down and take a nap. Then we'll eat when we wake up."

Lily nodded and allowed Rose to lift her onto one of the twin beds and tuck her in. She drifted off to sleep, listening to Rose sing a lullaby that her own father had once sung to her.

Once she was sure that Lily was asleep, Rose settled down in her own bed, thinking about what all that had happened to her since the sinking. She had fallen in love, survived a disaster, lost the man she loved, and now she was a mother herself, hoping to be the kind of mother that her own could never be. It was a lot to happen in such a short time to someone not even in her twenties yet. Rose hoped that she was doing the right thing, not only for herself but for Lily as well and she hoped that wherever Jack was, he was watching over them with pride, happy to see Rose make sure that his sacrifice was not in vain.


End file.
